"No Sign of Hope at Geneva Talks as Long as the Opposition Remains Dishonest" - Damascus

May 16th, 2017 - Fort Russ News -

- Breakingnews.sy - - translated by Samer Hussein -

Not even two weeks after relatively successful talks on settlement of Syrian crisis in Astana, the new round of talks has just kicked off in Geneva.

Members of the Syrian delegation, once again headed by Dr. Bashar Al Jaafari, have already met with Staffan de Mistura, UN's special envoy for Syria, in order to determine the main principles for the sixth round of talks in Geneva.

Damascus, however, remains sceptical about the outcome of the talks.

During press conference, held on the 8th of May, Syrian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates, Walid Mouallem, said the Syrian government side always participated in all negotiations and talks on settlement of the Syrian crisis and provided the international bodies with all relevant information and documentation, as opposed to the so-called “Syrian opposition” that has so far made none of these efforts, in addition to never ever expressing a will of reaching a dialogue or a solution, adding that no real progress or solution will ever be achieved at these talks, as long as the opposition forces and their backers remain dishonest.

It is noteworthy that during the last round of talks in Geneva, which lasted between March 22nd and 31st, members of the Syrian delegation provided the UN envoy with dozens of papers on easing tensions, effectively combating international terrorism, seeking political dialogue and creating humanitarian corridors. On the contrary, members of the so-called “Syrian opposition”, provided none of such things.

The particular round of talks ended ended with an evacuation deal being brokered by Qatar, Russia, Iran and Turkey and thanks to which hundreds of civilians, trapped inside the villages in Idleb countryside were allowed to get evacuated to safe places in an exchange for terrorists and their families, lurking in Al Waar district of Homs, Madaya and Zabadani, to be transported to areas, held under terrorist control in Aleppo and Idleb provinces.

Lasting until the 19th of May, the sixth round of Geneva talks on settlement of the Syrian crisis, will primarily be focused on full realization and possible further expansion of the recent Russian memorandum, reached in Astana, on creating de-escalation zones within sovereign Syrian territory, according to de Mistura.